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Nearly 60 students from Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania), currently ranked one of the top business schools in the US and in the world, spent the first week of January at FGV, in Rio, to take part in a course on Emerging Economies. Organized in collaboration with EBAPE/FGV’s International Relations department, the course (which is also run in other emerging countries around the world) aimed at providing EBAPE’s and Wharton’s students with a solid understanding of economic, political, financial and demographic trends within current emerging economies. The program’s focus was on Brazil's global positioning in terms of the energy and infrastructure sectors.

In addition to seminars and visits to Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional-CSN (steel producer), and to the National Electricity Grid Operator (ONS), the students were also given presentations by important representatives of the energy and infrastructure sectors. The high point of the course was a presentation given by entrepreneur Eike Batista, CEO of the EBX Group, and ranked in 2010 by Forbes as one of the world’s 10 richest men.

According to Felipe Monteiro, Assistant Professor of Management at the Wharton School, the high quality of the speakers, coupled with the dedication and performance of the students, and the unswerving commitment on the part of EBAPE/FGV’s senior management, led the course to exceed all expectations. “It was a very intensive week, when we were all able to learn a lot about Brazil today. I hope this has been just the first in a series of courses of this kind, which will be run in the future,” said Felipe.

Sabrina Pavão, a student in EBAPE’S Master’s in Administration program, thought the course was very important in that it provided a good platform for cultural exchange. “It was a very interesting opportunity for me to be able to take part in this course, not only due to the quality of the presenters and field visits, but mainly because of the cultural exchange it provided. Professors Felipe Monteiro and Mauro Gullén were impeccable in the way they steered the course. It was a very enriching experience, for my future professional endeavors, and for what it gave me in terms of personal and cultural experience,” explained Sabrina.

The course ended with a discussion panel, composed of EBAPE’s Deputy Dean,  Prof. Alvaro Cyrino, as well as senior representatives of Petrobras and Rio de Janeiro’s City Hall.

 Ana Paula Grether (Petrobras), Alvaro Cyrino (EBAPE), Wanderley Mariz (Município Rio) e Luiz Barreto (consultor Brasil)